 sj |
||
|
||
BS: Pain Med Question???
|
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: ChanteyLass Date: 19 Mar 12 - 03:31 PM How was last night? How is everything going today? I haven't got to the other thread yet, but I do read both. I start with the bottom threads on MUdcat's homepage and work my way up! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: maeve Date: 18 Mar 12 - 04:55 PM More on pain management via singing here: http://www.arthritis.org/singing-can-ease-pain.php Health Benefits of Singing Singing Lowers Blood Pressure Before Surgery... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Crowhugger Date: 18 Mar 12 - 03:50 PM Bobert, first see if doc thinks it may be a bit early to stop around-the-clock dosing. The problem with stopping too soon is that the post-op pain can get way out of control, then either the meds won't touch it or it can take 12-24 hours of regular dosing to get it back down to bearable levels. Meanwhile why not try taking it with a bit of food (I find pain med takes effect better and sooner if I do so anyhow) and/or with half a dimenhydrinate (Gravol in Canada, can't recall the trade name in USA). If the opiates are too constipating, eat a LOT more salad and/or oranges or anything that normally makes you too loose for comfort. If you prefer to use something like metamucil, timing is everything: You don't want the fibre to absorb the pain med, so take such products a good 2 hours before or after pain med. You're welcome, gnu! You get the benefit of my excess experience, LOL. BTW I'm totally serious about singing. My pain specialist is wondering how to research it. This post is entertainment, not medical advice, of course. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 18 Mar 12 - 03:42 PM Nausea?... weed. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 18 Mar 12 - 02:17 PM The hydrocodone has taken to makin' me nausea so I think it's time to just back away from any meds... Bad enough to have pain but feeling sick, too??? Forget it... BA~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 18 Mar 12 - 02:06 PM Crowhugger... some GREAT advice there. Wish I had thought/known of the rest/work cycle. Thanks for that post. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: maeve Date: 18 Mar 12 - 01:51 PM From over yonder: Subject: RE: BS: Bobert Under the Knife March 14th... From: Bobert - PM Date: 18 Mar 12 - 07:46 AM Yea!!! Got 8 hours sleep last night... Doesn't much matter that it took 12 hours to pull it off...lol... B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Crowhugger Date: 18 Mar 12 - 01:38 PM Coming a bit late to the discussion: gnu is right, pain hurts. Do less, that helps. The first 48 hours are worst, the next few days after that are no picnic either. During post-op pain I aim to start what activity I absolutely cannot avoid (meals, bathing, letting the dogs out to pee) 45 mins to 1 hour after taking oral med and only for max 1 or 1.5 hours, then rest again to "enjoy" a half an hour of relatively diminished pain because soon, by about 3 hours after taking it, the effectivess has usually decreased quite noticeably. The next hour it increasingly sucks to be me and then it's 4 hours, time for another dose and 30-45 minutes more of it-sucks, and so the cycle repeats. IIRC, (had 4 bowel resections and 2 back surgeries) if the pain medication knocks the pain down to a 4-6 that is a normal to great experience for this soon after being cut open, messed around with for a while then put back together with string and staples. Becky et al. are right about weed vs alcohol when taking acetaminophen. Although with me weed makes every large and tiny ache and pain 10x worse so I personally don't go there. But that difference between us points up a very important fact of medications: everyone responds differently, drugs work to different degrees on different people, also varies in the same person with different types of pain. Mudcatters are a wise bunch with mantra, "talk to the doc." Learn what's a usual range of experience for this surgery this long (or this soon) after surgery. If your pain levels are inappropriate or unbearable, ask about trying something different. Some docs are cool with that, some are extremely uncomfortable, it varies with training and their own experience. Perhaps they are less helpful if they've ever had addicted patients who went to the black market or have been sued, more helpful if they've had surgery or if they have a low pain threshold themselves. Unfortunately, it can happen that by the time you find the right combo, it's time to taper to zero and switch to activity level as the preferred method of pain control. The best supplementary pain-management remedy I've found so far is to sing. Often. As long as I am singing, pain doesn't come through nearly as much. Hey, Bobert, maybe if you sing loud, long and way out of tune, your house guests will want to spare themselves *that* kind of pain... Anyhow it does helo to nap for those miserable 2 hours, i.e. 1 hour before and after dose. This early in recovery I would probably set an alarm for the time to take the next dose. It's unlikely you were prescribed a dose designed to address out-of-control pain, so don't try to be a hero and go without. It's important to know that prescribed meds taken as prescribed will not "kill" surgical pain, but are meant to prevent it escalating to a smash-your-head-for-distraction level. It's a great sign that you're well enough to keep busy on the threads here! BTW, IIRC next stage after stinging may be itching. Definitely you'll want to sing through that; if it doesn't help it's still better than not singing! Disclaimer: The above message is meant for entertainment purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult your physician. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 18 Mar 12 - 01:36 PM Ya ghotta read both threads, CL. >;-) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: ChanteyLass Date: 18 Mar 12 - 12:17 PM So, Bobert, you were going to tough it out? How did that work for you? Did you have a bullet to bite on? I hope you got some sleep and that the pain is beginning to recede. Take a nap if you need to and if you can. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 17 Mar 12 - 05:54 PM I hope it don't get itchy on accounta you didn't shave. >;-) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: maeve Date: 17 Mar 12 - 05:24 PM You're healing...good! Sweet dreams, Bobert. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 17 Mar 12 - 04:43 PM Hey, ya'll... I'm gonna just tough it out... Gonna do my prescribed drugs every 4 hours and maybe an occasional asprin... The pain is moving into a new phase where the incision stings... haven't had that before... Can't get to none of it because it's in this cast thingie that goes almost to my elbow... gonna make it perfectly clear tonight that ol' Bobert needs quiet in the house... B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bettynh Date: 17 Mar 12 - 03:23 PM Spaw, you're right. But the danger comes when Tylenol is added to the prescribed med. Folks tend to think it's pretty benign, and it is, but when you're taking 325 mg. every 4 hours (in the combo drug) you're half-way to 4000 mg limit. Taking two prescribed pills every 4 hours puts you right up against the limit. Reaching for plain tylenol when the combo fails is all too common. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 17 Mar 12 - 02:17 PM Off topic. Oxycontin in Canada is taking a ****kickin. The manufacturers and supplies are in HOLY CRAP mode after new studies have determined that the literature they gave the docs and general public contained out-and-out lies about physical addiction and dosage requirements over time. Apparently, they are cutting production WAY back and may end up cutting it out altogether. I haven't read all the articles in the paper but I assume it will still be available to terminally ill patients as a lead-in to Dilaudid, morphine... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: catspaw49 Date: 17 Mar 12 - 02:04 PM Who told you no to Tylenol? It is by far the only otc pain killer that Docs recommend. ACETOMENAPHIN (TYLENOL) IS NOT, REPEAT NOT, AN NSAID!!! Acetaminophen reduces pain and fever by acting on the brain. NSAIDs reduce pain and fever by reducing prostaglandin production and inflammation at the site of pain (ankle, knee, shoulder, etc.) Acetaminophen is generally considered easier on the stomach than NSAIDs. Mass quantities of anything are a bad idea so know that the max dose of Tylenol is 4000mg a day but it is the least damaging in both short and long term of any otc painkiller. Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 17 Mar 12 - 02:03 PM Yo, Bobert. Saw you post on aother thread. So, how are you NOW? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 17 Mar 12 - 01:02 PM Correct and correct to an extent... I am still a tad put off by the fact that the ol' hillbilly didn't get in touch with the nurse or doc and explain the pain before the weekend, like most people suggested on both threads... more than once. 5 and 10 years old and playing loudly at 11PM?! grrrrrrrrr |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 17 Mar 12 - 12:10 PM Gn-ze jus' playin' with ol' hillbilly, E-Barn... I can do pain just fine... Might of fact, me and Al Gore invented pain... Sho nuff did... B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: EBarnacle Date: 17 Mar 12 - 11:39 AM When you take any NSAID, make sure you take food with it. All of them cause stomach irritation and, potentially, ulcers. Also, sit up for an hour or so afterward as they are all related to gastric reflux. Despite gnu's comment, there is no virtue in suffering pain. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 17 Mar 12 - 11:20 AM Being Saturday I'll just ride it out a couple more days, WYSuzie... I think if the step-ie can impress upon the grand daughters that quiet is what I need then I'll do better tonight... Them kids were playing loudly at 11:00 last night... I'm going to have a little talk with them myself this evening... B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Mar 12 - 10:24 PM Aleve is naproxen. It takes a long time to kick in, and then it works well. Advil = ibuprofen, also good, works quicker.Both are sometimes given in short term, higher does BY DOCTORS. TAKE WHAT THE DOC SEZ. And do not assume that you can think clearly and decide well whole ON IT. You may FEEL feel like you can but you need to let Eve drive that bus under the doc's supervision. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 16 Mar 12 - 10:21 PM Yeah, seems that this will be my third night of no real sleep... Maybe there will be some old "I Love Lucy" reruns.... B:~( |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: gnu Date: 16 Mar 12 - 09:18 PM I am getting confused with all this "advice". Why not just take what the doc prescribed for you and leave it at that? Pain hurts. Suck it up, pussy. Walk it off. Or take it up with the doc and don't listen to the armchair docs here at Mudcat General Hospital. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but pain actually hurts. I know. I've been there. After one slice and dice, I had chronic and horrible pain for over three months because the post surgery care went amiss because the nurse that woke me up just after surgery didn't know what she was doing. I ended up losing my business because she fucked up. Still can't do a lot of things because of her. BUT, I never took anything except some beers late in the day and that didn't help worth shit other than attitude adjustment. Seriously... deal with your doc for "better" meds or lay down with your wound lying above your heart and try to stay calm. It's just pain. It will go away in due time. Seriously... if you ain't bleedin, yer gonna be fine. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Janie Date: 16 Mar 12 - 08:39 PM I think Aleve is ibuprofen but would have to go google to be sure. It is well documented that ibuprofen potentiates (boosts) the effectiveness of opiates. Short term, unless I had known liver problems or significant gastrointestinal problems, I wouldn't hesitate to take relatively high doses of ibuprophen in conjunction with opiates, especially if that is what the doc recommends. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 16 Mar 12 - 08:18 PM No antibiotics... BTW... Too mnay choices here so i've just taken the hyrocodone and will lay off the tylenol... Its not like weeks worth of lots of drugs... It's 4 or 5 days with limited use... B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Jack Campin Date: 16 Mar 12 - 08:10 PM Are you on post-operative antibiotics? The combination of ciprofloxacin with NSAIDs (paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin) can damage connective tissue so badly your Achilles tendon just snaps without warning. Check whether you're on any non-pain-related medication that mnight interact with the analgesics. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 16 Mar 12 - 07:50 PM No, not really... Apparently Tylenol is bad and it's kinda late to find an alternative so I need to chose between aleve and ibuprofen??? B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Janie Date: 16 Mar 12 - 07:14 PM Pain managed better today Bobert? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 16 Mar 12 - 07:09 PM Right you are, Betty... Think I'll try Aleve... This pain shoulb be subsiding soon, anyway... Thanks, B~ think |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Tig Date: 16 Mar 12 - 07:03 PM I'm on long term pain meds so know where you are coming from. I was on co-codamol 30/500 but have just got my doc to split them for me into separate tablets of paracetamol and codine. Good results from the split and not taking as much of either of them. I can take a far more sensible amount of either depending on the pain. Lost most of the walking round in a fog feeling too. Talk to your doc! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 16 Mar 12 - 05:28 PM I'll go reread the product info on what I am taking... B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: GUEST,Eliza Date: 16 Mar 12 - 03:20 PM Just wanted to say how sorry I am you're in this pain Bobert, and to wish you well. (Totally agree with the others who recommend contacting Doc. Don't risk 'doing it yourself'!) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bettynh Date: 16 Mar 12 - 02:33 PM I'd certainly recommend calling the office, but don't be upset if another professional deals with your pain problem. My experience with orthopedic surgeons is that they're very sophisticated structural engineers. Just the ones to go in and rearrange the fiddly bits of your skeleton, but they are out of their depth dealing with drug dosages and people who are awake and in pain. A good office will have a physicians' assistant or nurse to deal with that. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: catspaw49 Date: 16 Mar 12 - 12:50 PM Most of the stronger short term are fine. Most also strong addicting characteristics. Have you called the Doc yet? Hey 999.......Do you know what they call the person who finishes at the bottom of their medical school class at babydoc?........Yeah---Doctor.Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: GUEST,olddude Date: 16 Mar 12 - 12:30 PM oxycotin was the stuff they gave me after my neck operation. I live in chronic pain with 5 spine operations. Boy it worked great, doc said this med has no side effects and really works. A year later, you can't take this stuff anymore ... bad addictive properties ... puked for two whole weeks ... short term perfect, long term no way |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: GUEST,olddude Date: 16 Mar 12 - 12:25 PM PM me bobster ok |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: EBarnacle Date: 16 Mar 12 - 11:39 AM My doc and I have long been fans of Tylenol 3. That's Tylenol with Codeine. I take it as a half dose and at half intervals so that the pain never has a chance to take advantage of a lowered level of pain killer. Discuss this approach with your doctor. It works. Take it easy but take it. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Desert Dancer Date: 16 Mar 12 - 11:02 AM Due to the liver stresses, if you do get something with acetomeniphen (or ibuprofen, for that matter), knock off the alcohol and stick to the weed. ~ Becky in Long Beach |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: maeve Date: 16 Mar 12 - 09:54 AM Thank you, Bobert. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 16 Mar 12 - 09:48 AM All I really need is a bag of weed... But I'll call the doc anyway.. B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: GUEST,999 Date: 16 Mar 12 - 09:07 AM Most doctors have a post graduate degree (thus the name doctor appended to their names), and lo', the extra seven or more years of school actually entitles them to make diagnoses and prescribe drugs. For a part of that time they actually study drugs and drug interactions. Call your doctor. S/he might know something. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: KT Date: 16 Mar 12 - 03:52 AM I'm sorry you're hurting, Bobert. A week from now you'll be looking back, and saying, "well, gol-dang! That weren't no pikanik, but I made it! I'm tougher'n I look!" Make it snappy, now, okay? Kt |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: ChanteyLass Date: 15 Mar 12 - 11:53 PM I'm with those who say check with a doctor before switching meds. The doc may say it's okay to use your wife's meds until you can pick up a new prescription for yourself. Or the doc may say don't do it. No matter what happens with your meds, the pain should decrease, but I don't want you to be in pain while you wait for that to happen. Once upon a time my dad fell down our cellar stairs and was in pain. He called our family doc who said he could take my grandmother's pain meds until he (the doc) could call the pharmacy in the AM. There was no sense waking the pharmacist in the middle of the night to fill and deliver a prescription when something helpful was only six blocks away. My mom drove to my grandmother's house and brought home enough of the meds to last until the new prescription was ready. Those were the good old days! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: LilyFestre Date: 15 Mar 12 - 09:25 PM Bobert, Always call and tell them when you are in pain and that the meds you have aren't cutting it. Call the ER if you need to and get a doc that's on call. I know I'm late chiming in here but docs like you to stay ahead of the pain so call them ASAP so they can get it under control for you. XOXO Michelle |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: catspaw49 Date: 15 Mar 12 - 09:14 PM Oxycodone in combo with acetomenaphin is known by a number of names most commonly Percoset. This is a pleasant drug for pain. I highly recommend it and I do know a thing or two about pain meds. Now if you hang with it too long you'll be wanting to have it in mass quantities...LOL.....But the best thing to do, as everyone has said, is talk to the Doc. They know that healing is enhanced without the pain and will prescribe what they think will do the job. AS you ain't no spring chicken they are more apt to trust you up to a point, but no Doc will prescribe past certain limits. And don't mix up any homey type half baked idea drugs/booze/OTC with the scrip....Sometimes they don't react well and will leave you cold....LITERALLY! Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Richard Bridge Date: 15 Mar 12 - 08:58 PM I have had good results from co-codamol 30/500 - but it is paracetamol based so be careful of the liver. If you can get diconal (google it) it relieves most pain but it is alleged to be very addictive. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Bobert Date: 15 Mar 12 - 08:58 PM Yeah...Gonna stick with my meds... Plus a few cold Nattie Lite's... B~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Janie Date: 15 Mar 12 - 08:43 PM What Jeri and maeve said. Comuunicate and work with your doc. He does not want you to suffer needlessly. There are so many issues around the abuse of opiates these days that many doctors and facilities get gun-shy about adequately treating pain and prescribing pain meds if the patient starts taking medications not prescribed or starts taking more medication than prescribed rather than consulting with the physician practice and working with them. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Pain Med Question??? From: Jeri Date: 15 Mar 12 - 06:26 PM Jeez Dan! You're way older than you look! Stuff came out in 1916. ;-) (Yeah, I just looked it up.) It IS very addictive, but for --like I said-- short-term, post-surgical pain, the doc probably won't give you much. |
